


Drowning Sorrows (Don't Let Me Fall)

by mouth_breather011



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Abusive May Parker, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Blood and Gore, Dark May Parker (Spider-Man), Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt Tony Stark, No Sex, No Smut, Out of Character May Parker (Spider-Man), Peter Needs a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2020-07-21 06:26:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19997347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mouth_breather011/pseuds/mouth_breather011
Summary: "May let the sound of the news and her drink drown out her sorrows, letting go of the light and falling into the darkness.She didn't hear the sobs from the room next door.~He told himself over and over that he was Spiderman, that Spiderman could handle this.He wasn't really Spiderman anymore, though."May becomes an abusive alcoholic after finding out that Peter is Spiderman. Things take a turn for the worst.





	1. Lights Out

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally gonna be a one shot, but now it's gonna be like 2 or 3 chapters long (I'm not sure yet) And yes, I am writing in the middle of the night again. I have issues. Anyhoo, enjoy the story!

May was sick of all the lies, of all the pain.

When she discovered that Peter was Spiderman, she was less than thrilled. The fact that Tony Stark knew made her even angrier.

"Please, Mrs. Parker, you have to understand. I only helped because I knew he wouldn't stop, I'm keeping him safe by—"

"Safe? Safe! That's definitely what you're doing, sending him out every night to get shot or stabbed, sometimes worse than that," May yelled into the phone. Peter sat on his bed, watching with watery eyes. She glared at him. 

"I'm not sending him out there, it's his choice," Stark replied on the other end, obviously trying to remain calm. He was doing better than May, at least.

"No, don't you dare blame him. This is your fault."

Stark sighed on the other end. "May . . ."

"Don't 'May' me, Stark. I blame you. Stay away from me and my nephew." She moved to hang up, cutting off the man before he could reply. May sighed, holding a hand to her face.

Peter remained silent, looking as though he wanted to say something. His mouth opened and closed like a fish, and May would have laughed if she weren't so upset.

"You're grounded to your room. No games, books, going out, no nothing. Especially no seeing Stark," the woman said with finality. Peter looked horrified.

"For how long?"

"Forever," she snapped, turning and walking out of his room.

"No please, May, wait—" 

She slammed the door and headed to the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out an IPA. May popped the lid with a bottle opener and took a swig, grimacing at the foreign taste. She hadn't had a beer since right after Ben died.

May trudged into the living room, slumping on the couch and taking another sip of beer. Turning on the TV, she relaxed.

May let the sound of the news and her drink drown out her sorrows, letting go of the light and falling into the darkness.

She didn't hear the sobs from the room next door.

* * * * *

Life sucked worse than usual.

Without Spiderman or Tony to escape to, Peter was back to his boring self.

Wake up. Eat breakfast. Go to school. Get work done. Walk home.

Avoid May.

School had turned into Peter's new escape. Previously, it had been what he was trying to escape.

Now, home was his hell. If he could even call it home.

Every time he arrived at his apartment, May would yell at him for being too early or too late, throwing beer bottles at him or making him get more.

She would scream obscenities at him, calling him worthless scum and so much worse. Most nights ended in tears.

But he told himself over and over that he was Spiderman, that Spiderman could handle this.

He wasn't really Spiderman anymore, though.

Everyday seemed to be getting worse, but May never became more violent than verbal beatings and throwing stuff.

Until today.

Peter quietly unlocked the door to his and May's apartment, tiptoeing in and slipping the door shut. He didn't dare let her know he was home, the habit having died along with May's soul.

He crept down the hall and into the kitchen, ready to make a mad dash for his room when—

"Where the hell have you been." It was not a question, more so a demand. Peter stuttered a reply.

"I had d-decathalon. I-I t-told you about it y-yester—" 

May slammed her beer down on the kitchen table with a bang. The boy flinched.

"Yo-ou worthless b-brat," she slurred, swaying slightly. Peter cringed, folding in on himself. He immediately straightened again, telling himself he'd heard this before. Peter just didn't understand why it still hurt so much.

"We're a-almost out of-of beer," May hicupped, taking another huge gulp of the one in her hand. Peter nodded.

"I-I can go out and—"

"What, yoouuu think I'mm asking?" Her voice raised suddenly, and Peter flinched, muttering a soft 'no ma'am.'

"Go away," she moaned, tripping into the living room and falling onto the couch. Peter let out a ragged breath and walked out the door again.

He wiped away some stray tears as he headed outside and onto the street.

* * * * *

May didn't understand what was taking so long. Peter had left to get her some more beer like fifteen minutes ago.

She groaned and turned on her stomach, burying her face into the couch cushions. 

This was all Stark's fault. He never should have let her nephew be Spiderman. If Peter hadn't been Spiderman, May wouldn't be feeling so terrible right now.

What if Peter was at Stark's? That was probably what was taking him so long. The little brat was ratting on her!

The door to her apartment opened quietly, and she stood up. Walking into the kitchen, May saw Peter setting down an armful of multiple beers, and May almost forgot what she was going to say.

"I thought I a-already told you no-ot to go to S-Stark's," she said, walking up to the boy and shoving him in the shoulder. He sent her a surprised look.

"What do you mean?"

May rolled her eyes. "You were-were with Stark. That's whyyy you t-took so long." 

Peter shook his head frantically, eyes widening as May towered over him. She shoved him again, and the teen nearly fell over with the amount of force she used.

"No, no I didn't—ahh!" May slapped him in the face, turning his cheek a startling red.

"Don't lie to me, Peter," she yelled, raising her hand to hit him again. The woman saw her nephew flinch, eyeing her hand as he continued to lie. She slapped him again, and he fell to the floor, a hand to his face.

"You lie! Don't lie to me!" May delivered a swift kick to his ribs, effectively turning him on his side. Peter screamed as she kicked him again.

"No, please, I'm not lying! I didn't see Mr. Stark," he pleaded, his hands held out in a show of peace. May didn't care.

"SHUT UP!" She roared, stepping on his arm. May felt the boy's bones creak and bend under her foot, Peter's sobs filling the kitchen. 

Finally, the crazed woman removed her foot, bending down and pulling Peter to his feet. Her hand gripped his arm deathly tight, and Peter continued to let the tears fall.

"Stay in your room," she ordered, dragging him down the hall. May threw him into his room, and he fell with a thud. Slamming the door closed, May slipped a chair under the handle, locking the door in place.

The doorknob rattled, and Peter began to scream. 

"May, please, let me out!"

His aunt just stumbled back into the kitchen and grabbed another bottle. 

Leaning against the table, she took a long drink, listening to her nephew scream.

* * * * *

An hour later, Peter sat against his door, having given up after his voice broke and May still wouldn't open the door.

He cradled his sore arm, the one his aunt had stepped on then grabbed in an iron grip. Peter's ribs were aching, and his tears had long since run out.

The boy knew he could have fought back, but the idea struck him as wrong. This was the woman he had grown up with, his only mother figure since his parents had died.

Deep down, Peter knew he still loved her. It was just becoming harder to convince himself that was true.

He wished he hadn't left his phone on the kitchen table. Then maybe Peter would have someone to talk to, like Ned or . . . Mr. Stark, but he wasn't allowed to talk to him.

That might have been the worst part for him, the fact that he wasn't allowed to talk to, much less see Tony again. Peter wondered if Tony ever wanted to see him, too.

But maybe he could go, just this once. May already thought he went to see Mr. Stark, so why not actually pay the man a visit?

The boy glanced at the window, and for the first time in weeks, he felt his face light up with a smile.

Today might not be that bad of a day.

* * * * *

Today was a bad day for Tony.

He had spent hours on end travelling from meeting to meeting, talking with one too many people about way too much stuff.

Eventually, he had gotten some time to himself in the lab. Then Secretary Ross called about the Accords, and that took up another two hours.

No matter how many times he hung up or put the man on hold, Ross would find some way to patch back through and continue to talk. 

Then Ross hung up on Tony. Which was a first. Tony had done his best to be annoying this time.

Now he sat at a workbench in his lab tinkering on an iron gauntlet, ACDC blasting as he worked.

It would have been nice to have Peter there with him to help. He missed his little lab buddy.

Multiple times, he had wanted to march over to the Parker residence to check up on the kid, or at least text him. But every time, he shot himself down, telling himself that he needed to respect their privacy and May's choice to disclude him from their lives.

That didn't mean Tony didn't miss the boy.

Tony was so lost in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed that FRIDAY had turned off his music and was attempting to talk to him.

"Sorry, what was that FRI?"

The AI sounded exasperated when she repeated her words. "Peter Parker is requesting entrance to the Tower."


	2. Deeper Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Tony stood there, watching sadly as Peter walked back inside.
> 
> The feeling that he was allowing Peter to fall deeper into the abyss didn't leave him.
> 
> ~
> 
> The only thing that Peter knew was blood and pain.
> 
> And hurt. That was a big one.
> 
> He turned his head to the side, staring at his arm.
> 
> Peter fell asleep with the words 'ungrateful brat' etched into the backs of his eyelids."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is bloody.
> 
> ~Chapter title from "Good Good Father"

"Peter Parker is requesting entrance to the Tower."

Tony stood up faster than a bullet. Peter was here? This was great!

"Let him in!"

Not five minutes later, Peter was there outside the glass door, waiting for Tony to let him in. When he did, the boy jumped forward, embracing the man in a tight hug. The billionaire chuckled, returning the hug.

"I missed you so much," Peter cried into Tony's shirt. The man rest his chin on the teen's head, taking in the scent of Peter's shampoo.

"I missed you, too," Tony replied warmly. 

More than you know, he thought.

The stayed that way for a minute, swaying slightly in a calming manner. Eventually, they had to break apart.

"So. How've you been?" Tony asked, somewhat awkwardly. He watched Peter shuffle from foot to foot, wringing his hands.

"Um, I've been better. You?" 

"I'm done with the world," he deadpanned, allowing himself a small smile when Peter giggled. It was music to his ears.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you or anything, but is there a reason you happened to show up this afternoon?" Peter's smile fell from his face, morphing into a frown.

"I guess not," he replied. "I just needed to escape the apartment for a little bit."

That made Tony frown, too. Peter usually went out as Spiderman when he wanted an escape. Was May not letting him go out anymore? Now that Tony thought about it, he hadn't heard any news about Spiderman or reports from Karen.

"Is something wrong at home?" The billionaire asked cautiously. Peter shook his head, eyes wide and alarmed.

"N-No, of c-course not! May is fine, I'm fine."

"I didnt say anything about May."

The boy froze, staring at Tony fearfully. The billionaire was becoming more concerned. Something was up.

"I-I should actually go—"

Tony was just about to object when FRIDAY interrupted. 

"Sir, incoming call from May Parker."

Tony looked at Peter, who frantically shook his head.

"Answer it."

The boy brought his head to his hands, sighing deeply.

"Stark, I kn-know you havveee P-Peter." 

May's voice slurred and hicupped, and she sounded even angrier than when she called about Peter being Spiderman. Peter himself looked terrified.

"May, I can explain—"

"Yoouuu better b-bring him ba-back right nowww," she interrupted, not seeming to notice that she cut Tony off. "Then you c-can just, just st-stay awayyy. You ruin ever-everything."

Peter answered this time.

"May, it's not Mr. Stark's fault. I was the one who came here, he didn't ask me to come over."

At hearing Peter's voice, May seemed to grow impossibly angrier.

"You! I l-locked you in yourrrr room," May said, and Peter closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to calm himself. 

"Yeah, right after I went and got you more liquor," he whispered, but Tony heard it. What was going on? This was not the May that Tony had known.

"You liiittle, little b-brat. Get your b-butt back he-ere." 

Tony seethed. How dare she call him that. Peter was the exact opposite of a brat. He was the kindest, most sweetest person Tony had ever met, and Tony had met a lot of people.

But before either of them could reply, the line hung up. Peter sighed, turning away. The billionaire could swear he saw the boy wipe his eyes.

"Pete, what's going on," Tong said gently. The teen shuddered, then straightened. 

"Nothing Spiderman can't handle." 

* * * * *

The drive back to Queens was too short.

Tony had offered to drive Peter back, which he gratefully accepted. He regretted saying yes when they arrived, because no matter what Peter said, Tony insisted on escorting him inside.

"Pete, I'm just gonna have a quick talk with May, it's no big deal," Tony argued.

"Please, no it's fine, there's no need to go talk to her," Peter tried to convince the man. There was no way this would turn out good, and he definitely didn't want Tony Stark to witness it.

"Look, I'm just gonna go, you can leave, bye," Peter said, unbuckling and moving to open the door. Tony grabbed his arm in protest, and the boy let out a yell of pain.

"Peter? Are you okay, what's wrong with your arm?" The billionaire pulled up Peter's sleeve, gaping at the purplish bruising that littered his skin. A dark handprint could be seen wrapping around his limb.

"Hey," Peter shouted, ripping his arm away and pulling his sleeve back down. The boy hopped out of the car and closed the door quickly.

Tony sat stunned, hardly processing what he just saw. Was Peter being abused? Certainly not by May, she would never do that. 

Right?

Deciding quickly, Tony jumped out of the car and ran after the teen, catching him just before he walked inside. Gently, he grabbed Peter's other arm, turning him around and crushing him in a hug. Peter tensed, never relaxing into the billionaire's arms. Tony tried not to let that hurt him.

"Are you okay, kid?" 

The boy pushed away, hurting Tony's feelings even more.

"Like I said, nothing Spiderman can't handle."

Tony stood there, watching sadly as Peter walked back inside.

The feeling that he was allowing Peter to fall deeper into the abyss didn't leave him. Not when he drove back to the Tower. Not when he continued to isolate himself in his lab.

Not when he monitored Peter's vitals from the bug he had placed on the boy.

* * * * *

"You deliberately disobeyed me!"

Peter held up his arms as another bottle was launched his way. It hit his forearm, falling to the ground and shattering, littering his feet with cuts.

"You dirty, ungrateful brat! I don't know why I ever agreed to take you in," May screamed, ripping the boy's hands from his face and punching him. Peter's nose bled, and he reached up to wipe the blood away.

May shoved him, aggressively leading him to the bathroom. Peter was pushed into the tub, the shower curtain falling and hitting him in the head.

"Stay," May ordered, storming out of the bathroom and returning with a kitchen knife and a roll of duct tape.

Peter didn't move, hyperventilating through his injured nose. His aunt bent down and ripped a piece of tape from the roll with her teeth. She slammed it on his mouth then pulled his arms out from under him. May rolled up his sleeves and taped his arms to the sides of the tub, forearms facing skyward.

"Make one sound, one move, your dead," she threatened, holding up the knife. Peter nodded his head, fear plastering his features.

He flinched as the cold blade met his arm, stinging as May dragged it through his skin. Blood pooled on his arm, spilling down the sides as the pressure was released by the crook of his elbow. White spots danced across Peter's vision, and he glanced at May, taking in her pleased expression.

What had happened to her?

She used to be so kind and caring, always comforting him after a particularly bad day, letting him sleep in her bed after his parents and Ben died.

Peter couldn't help the scream that met his lips when his aunt dug the knife into his wrist.

"Shut up!" May screamed, removing the knife and slashing him across the cheek. Tears mixed with the blood on Peter's face, dripping on his shirt. 

May dug her thumb into the bloody hole in his wrist, and Peter thrashed. He knew he could break the bonds. He didn't know why he was cooperating.

"I thought that Spiderman could handle anything. I guess you really are just a weakling," May teased. More tears fled from the boys eyes as he continued to fight.

His aunt leaned over to the other side of the tub, avoiding his kicking legs. Peter screamed again as May dragged the knife through the skin on his other arm, slashing over and over. 

Eventually, Peter gave up fighting and sat, breathing hard as May dug through his arm.

He was in so much pain that he didn't even realize when his aunt finished, leaving the bathroom and sliding another chair under the knob.

The only thing that Peter knew was blood and pain.

And hurt. That was a big one.

He turned his head to the side, staring at his arm.

Peter fell asleep with the words 'ungrateful brat' etched into the backs of his eyelids.

* * * * *

Tony sped down the streets of New York, a display of Peter's decreasing vitals to his side.

The moment the boy's health began to decline, Tony had left the Tower in a rage. No one was allowed to hurt his kid. Especially not someone who had been so close to the teen.

When he arrived at the Parker's apartment building, he bolted inside and up the stairs to the seventh floor. Tony barged in without a second thought, the iron gauntlet formed around his raised hand.

A startled May ran out of the kitchen, a bloody knife in hand. She held it up and glared, bracing to attack.

Tony fired up his repulsor.

"Where's Peter?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof what happens next? Stay tuned to find out!


	3. Kill Switch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "She walked to the chair and pulled it away, opening the bathroom door and slipping in, leaving Tony immobilized in the hall.
> 
> More muffled screams could be heard.
> 
> Oh, Peter . . .
> 
> ~
> 
> He was going to fire, going to kill May. Tony would do it in a heartbeat. He was ready to make her pay for hurting Peter. For hurting his kid.
> 
> Peter would never forgive him for it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the last chapter! The next one is . . .
> 
> Beware, this is intense.

"Where is Peter?"

Tony walked closer to May, neither of them lowering their weapons. May snarled.

"The little brat isn't here," she growled. "Now get out of my apartment."

That was an obvious lie. Tony had just dropped him off not an hour ago. 

"Don't lie to me, May!"

The crazed woman glowered, adjusting her grip on the bloody kitchen knife in her hand. The knife was not a good sign. Considering May didn't have a scratch on her, the blood was probably Peter's. 

That's no bueno.

May opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, a muffled yell sounded from down the hall. Banging could be heard, then a resounding crash. Someone screamed again.

The woman paled, both of them looking behind her before their eyes met. Suddenly, she rushed forward catching Tony off guard. 

They both toppled to the floor, May swinging her knife closer and Tony struggling to aim his repulsor while fending her off at the same time. The two adults rolled across the floor, shoving to be the person on top.

"You can't have him! He's not yours," May screeched, stabbing the knife into the floorboards, narrowly missing the billionaire's neck. Tony gripped her shoulders and pushed her back, scrambling towards the hall.

"He's not an object, so you can't really say he's yours, either!"

Tony turned the corner, vaguely processing the chair in front of the bathroom door when a searing hot pain stabbed his leg from behind. He crumpled to the ground, groaning through gritted teeth.

May stepped over him, picking up the knife from where it had fallen after she had attacked Tony.

"I raised Peter. He's more of my child than he will ever be yours," May hissed, blowing her messy hair out of her face. She stepped on Tony's injured leg, making him cry out in pain. She walked to the chair and pulled it away, opening the bathroom door and slipping in, leaving Tony immobilized in the hall.

More muffled screams could be heard.

Oh, Peter . . .

* * * * *

It didn't feel like much longer when Peter awoke to hear the apartment door fly open.

There were voices yelling.

He easily recognized May's yells, but the stranger was a little harder to place.

"Don't lie to me, May!" Tony? Mr. Stark was here! 

Peter began to scream and thrash, ripping his arms from the tape and standing, his mind barely registering the pain. He didn't make it very far, tripping on the shower curtain and thumping to the ground. In the process, he managed to knock over one of May's candles, and it fell after him with a crash. Peter wheezed when another one fell, embedding itself in his stomach.

Cradling his bloody arms around his abdomen, Peter listened to the sounds of the ongoing fight, silently rooting for Tony. When he heard the chair scraping out from under the door handle, he fully expected to see the man walk in, ready to embrace him.

Instead, May entered, looking murderous.

Peter sat up immediately, stumbling to his feet and painfully tripping back into the bloodstained tub. His aunt stuck the knife in her waistband and reached for the roll of tape on the sink, striding forward and pulling the boy's hands together. Her eyes dared him to resist as she wrapped the tape around his arms too many times, nearly cutting off the circulation to his hands.

"May, 'et me 'o," he mumbled, the skin under the tape on his face hot and sweaty. May ignored him, ripping the tape and beginning to wrap a new piece around his entire head, securing Peter's lips even more.

The boy squirmed, not enjoying the feeling of his hair being ripped out strand by strand. May elbowed him in the gut, and he stopped.

After his aunt had secured his mouth, she made quick work of restraining his ankles. The almost empty roll of tape hit the floor, and May lifted the boy out of the tub, hauling him out of the bathroom and into the hall.

Peter saw Tony on the floor.

His mentor was clutching his leg, blood pooling around him as he moaned in anguish. Tony's face was pale, his eyes scrunched up in pain, but when the man heard May lugging Peter down the hall, they shot open, widening in horror when he saw Peter.

"Ngh, Pete . . . May, no," he ground out, reaching a trembling hand for the boy. Peter thrashed, tugging his aching arms and trying to gain footing as his heels dragged across the floorboards. A thin trail of blood followed him as he yelled at the top of his lungs, through the kitchen and out the apartment door.

Tony crawled along behind May and Peter, wincing as he pulled himself up with the help of the kitchen table. He limped after the two, grimacing as he heard Peter's cries.

May paid no mind to the sounds, continuing to drag Peter quicker, with longer tugs and bigger steps. The boy's head jerked with every abrupt step, filling his head with dizziness and nausea. He could barely hear Tony yelling after them.

"Peter! May, please, stop!"

A door opened, rebounding off the wall and coming back to hit Peter as May pulled him into the stairway. He tumbled down the flights of stairs, his aunt still firmly gripping his wrists. Tony's weak footsteps echoed after them.

The man was still on the third floor by the time May and Peter reached the first. The woman pulled her nephew to the back of the building, coming across a janitor's closet.

She opened the door and lifted Peter into it, letting him fall among the mops and buckets. She bent down to his level, pulling the knife back out and teasingly inching it closer to his feet.

"Let's give you one to match Stark's."

May drove the tip of the blade into the boy's foot just between his toes and ankle. Peter howled, sobbing as she pulled it back out. Tears cascaded down his face, running over the tape and down his chin, resting at his throat uncomfortably. 

"Don't go anywhere," May ordered, standing up and slamming the door shut. Peter was left in the darkness.

Please don't let her keep me, he prayed, hoping that Tony could somehow hear his thoughts.

Don't let her win.

* * * * *

People always say to never bring a knife to a gunfight. 

In this case, it was never bring a repulsor to a knife fight. Apparently knives beat firepower.

It was difficult for Tony to take each step, but he had to. He had to save his kid.

Even with hauling a tied and beaten kid behind her, May was still faster than a man with an inch-deep cut in the back of his leg. Peter had already been taken out of sight by the time Tony reached the first level.

It was eerily quiet when he limped out of the stairwell. He should have anticipated the attack.

May slipped behind him, kicking his injured leg and wrapping an arm around his neck. The tip of her knife jutted into his back just under his ribcage.

Apparently May was really good at knife-wielding and combat. Tony would say she was a cool aunt, but she kind of had her nephew tied up who knows where.

"Where is Peter," Tony demanded immediately. "Don't give me some crap about him not being here. What did you do with him?"

The knife dug deeper, and Tony winced.

"He's not yours, so it's not your concern," May hissed, her hot breath tickling his ear.

"Peter is my kid, I don't care what you say," he said, throwing his head back and hitting May in the face. The knife fell to the floor as she clutched her nose, bending over slightly.

Tony stumbled towards her, picking up the knife and aiming the gauntlet at her. He was going to fire, going to kill May. Tony would do it in a heartbeat. He was ready to make her pay for hurting Peter. For hurting his kid.

Peter would never forgive him for it.

All of a sudden, Tony couldn't. He couldn't will his repulsor to fire, couldn't kill Peter's last family member. No matter what she had done, Peter would never want her dead. No, he was too kind.

Tony really should have been paying attention. 

May slammed into him with surprising strength, landing on top of him as she reached for the knife. The billionaire brought his metal-encased fist to her cheek, and May fell backward. Tony sat up, rearing back and sending his fist into her temple this time. May was out cold.

Tony gasped for breath, and hand on his heart as he willed it to stop racing. His leg throbbed, a second heartbeat to listen to.

Peter, find Peter, Tony thought.

He brought himself to his feet, the floor nearly coming up to meet him again. Looking around, he searched for any place that Peter could be hidden in.

Eventually, Tony's eyes rested on a lonely janitor's closet at the back of the hall. He made his way down, expensive dress shoes slapping on the floor.

As Tony neared the closet, a quiet thumping could be heard. Looking closer, he noticed that the door was shaking on time with every sound.

Reaching for the handle, Tony pulled the door open. Peter Parker spilled on the floor, pulling to a stop at Tony's feet. The boy looked up at his mentor with fear-filled eyes, which quickly turned to surprise, then happiness.

Peter bucked as he tried to sit up, happy noises muffled behind tape reaching Tony's ears. The man bent down and helped the boy sit up, slipping his head between the boy's tied arms and enclosing the boy in a firm but gentle hug.

"Oh, Peter, I was so worried," Tony whispered, feeling tears leak from his eyes. He was painfully aware of the growing wet spot on his shiulder.

"'ony, 'ony," the boy murmured, squeezing tighter.

"I need to get this tape off of you," Tony said, fingering the tape nestled in Peter's hair. Tony felt him nod slightly, lifting his arms up and over the man's head.

Tony grabbed the blade that he had set on the floor, cringing when he saw Peter flinch. He held it in a non-threatening position, trying to reassure Peter that he wouldn't hurt him.

"Listen, I'm not gonna hurt you, Pete. I'm just gonna get the tape off, no harm done," Tony said, and the boy nodded hesitantly, holding out his hands. The billionaire held the blade beneath the tape and brought it up, swiftly breaking the seal. He did the same for the bindings around Peter's feet, and carefully slit the tape around his head near the boy's cheek. 

Once the tape was safely removed from his hair, Peter jumped forward and embraced Tony again.

"Woah there, kiddo. You didn't let me put the knife down."

The boy paid no mind to the comment, mumbling into Tony's shoulder.

"Thank you for saving me Tony."

The billionaire felt his heart soften, and he buried his face into the boy's curls.

"Any time, kid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, oof. That was long.
> 
> I feel like I've gotten better at writing action scenes. Idk I still don't like them
> 
> Stay tuned!


	4. Only Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did it. I finally wrote the last chapter. Well, I wrote like half of it forever ago, but I got some severe writers block, then finally finished it last night. Yay!!!!!! One less thing on the to-do list!!!!!!!

They didn't get to hug for long.

Both Tony and Peter were injured and bleeding out, courtesy of the unconscious woman down the hall.

While Peter held pressure to Tony's leg, which was bleeding worse than any of Peter's injuries, the man pulled out his phone and alerted the police of their situation.

"Okay, they'll be here soon," he said, slipping his phone back into his pocket. The boy simply hummed in response, concentrating on holding Tony's bloody leg.

"Here, that's enough," Tony said, gently removing Peter's hands. "Let me check yours." Peter sat back, holding his arms to his chest. His face contorted into one of embarrassment and fear, looking to Tony like a cornered animal.

"No, I'm fine, they'll heal. You don't have to worry about me," he argued, dodging Tony's attempts to grab his shoulders. The boy ducked under Tony's left arm, but in his hurry he fell over and into the man's other arm. The billionaire was quick to fix his hold.

"I won't hurt you," he said cautiously, stopping Peter's movements with his strong grip. "I just need to check that you won't die." The boy made no reaction to Tony's attempt at humor, hesitating before giving a single nod. He looked away as the man pulled his arms out from around himself. Peter grimaced at Tony's sharp intake of breath. 

On the boy's left arm, a jagged cut soared from his wrist to the crook of his elbow, a deeper slit embedded in Peter's wrist. Dried and wet blood alike dripped down his arm in rivulets, covering most of Peter's fair skin. Tony had thought that it was bad, but he immediately took that back when he rolled up the sleeve of Peter's right arm. 

Deep lacerations were embedded in the poor boy's arm, ranging from his forearm to his bicep. That alone was absolutely terrible, but looking at the bloody wounds, Tony realized that they were in the form of words. 

UNGRATEFUL BRAT

Tony swallowed thickly, peering up at his young protege's face. Peter was looking down at the floor, his gaze focused on something that Tony couldn't see. His cheeks were glistening, eyes red and puffy as color rose in his cheeks. The billionaire reached up and wiped away some of the tears.

“Um, there’s th-this one, too,” Peter whispered, pulling his foot out from under him. It was soaked bright red, and from what Tony could see, the stab wound had gone all the way through his foot. “She, uh, she said w-we should be m-matching.”

Tony gritted his teeth in anger. No one had the right to treat a kid like this, especially if it was their own relative.

The man was about to say something when paramedics and cops burst into the building at the end of the hall. Peter and Tony’s head whipped to the side, instinctually pulling each other closer. The cops headed straight to May’s unconscious form, and the paramedics ran down the hall with their supplies, coming to a stop in front of the two geniuses.

Tony made sure that they tended to the kid first, informing them of how he got the wounds. They insisted that he be treated, but he claimed that he needed to see Peter’s injuries dressed before he did anything. The boy smiled at him gratefully before offering his arms to the paramedics.

Once Peter was completely treated, he and Tony were helped to their feet, limping down the hall and towards the exit. They could see medics and cops swarming May, who was now awake and sitting upright, screaming at the top of her lungs.

“Where’s my nephew?! I need him! Stark’s trying to–there he is!” she screeched, ripping her arms away from the cop that was trying to restrain her and pointing at the two as they limped past. “He’s taking my nephew! You have to stop him!”

Another officer came forward with a pair of cuffs and immediately snapped them around her wrists. She screamed and thrashed again.

“Miss, what you need to do is calm down,” one of the medics stated calmly, trying to wipe the blood from May’s wounded head. “Everything is being taken care of.”

The two paramedics supporting Peter and Tony urged them to move a little faster, helping them hobble outside, where a gurney was waiting for each of them. As soon as the kid was settled in one of them, Tony sat down next to him, moving to lay down when a medic grabbed his arm.

“Sir, there’s another gurney here for you,” the woman said gently, trying to help him off of Peter’s gurney. Tony wouldn’t budge.

“I’m assuming you have an ambulance that can fit two beds?” Tony asked harshly. The woman opened her mouth, then closed it. She shook her head, and Tony nodded. “Okay, then. I’m staying with the kid.”

The nurse left it at that, and helped him lay down next to Peter. Tony wrapped his arms around him, and the kid immediately pushed himself into the embrace. They were wheeled away and transferred to an ambulance.

“Thanks for saving me, Tony,” Peter mumbled into the man’s chest. They both smiled.

“Every time, kiddo,” he replied.

The ambulance doors closed, and the vehicle started moving.

“Tony, am I gonna stay with May?” Peter asked innocently, staring up at him with those bashful Bambi eyes.

“No,” Tony answered, and the kid physically deflated. “You’re going to stay with me. I don’t care what paperwork I need, you’re mine.”

Tony saw Peter smile, and they clutched each other tighter.

“Okay. I’d like that.”

Yeah, things were gonna be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like that coulda been better, but it also coulda been worse, so it is what it is.
> 
> I literally wrote so much last night. I finally continued this fic and another one, and then I wrote 1 1/2 chapters of a new fic called 'Submerged (Deep In Dark Waters)'. It's a bit of a dark fic, it's about Tony drugging Peter to help him sleep. You should read it.

**Author's Note:**

> Oof, there's chapter one.
> 
> Comments, questions, concerns? Or kudos, those are good too.
> 
> Tank q for reading and I hope yall enjoyed it. Stay tuned!


End file.
